Today’s Meatless Monday Celebrates the Return of Monday Night Football, and What to Eat While Watching

Football season is in full swing and with it comes tailgating, game-day parties and lots of eating. Just because burgers, chicken fingers and hot dogs are some of the most commonly recognized finger foods to mug down on for MNF doesn't mean you have to leave your #MeatlessMondays behind. Enjoy tonight's matchup between Denver and Oakland with one of these lower calorie veggie-based options from that skip the meat, but definitely not the flavor.

Dr. Praeger’s Veggie Burgers: Spice up game day with these globally inspired veggie burgers that are loaded with veggies. If you’re looking for a twist on plain old burger flavor, we’re big fans of the Thai and Asian varieties, both which clock in at under 120 cals per patty. We’ll have seconds, please.

Gardein Seven Grain Crispy Tenders: These meatless tenders may taste like chicken, but they have just 100 calories per two tenders — a far cry from the ones we used to get at Burger King in our days yonder. [Ed. note: To clarify, I’m the Burger King queen. – RJ] The crispy texture can’t be attributed to a vat of oil in a fryer; rather, it’s from seven-grain breading (including quinoa and Kamut) that’s baked on — but you wouldn’t know the diff. Serve them up with low-fat honey mustard or salsa for a totally dipable dish.

Lightlife Smart Dogs: Something about sports and hot dogs just goes together, but when you want a lighter option, these meatless dogs will do the trick. With 7 grams of protein they’ll help to fill you up. Plus, with just 50 calories per dog, you can feel free to pile on the toppings — cheese and chili NOT included.